Fresh, cheesy and so simple too! This lightened up version of TikTok’s viral pasta dish will keep you coming back for more! (Plus a few ideas for other ways you can use this sauce too!)
If you’ve been anywhere on social media lately, I’m sure you’ve come across this recipe at some point or another. This is the pasta that made all the grocery stores in Finland completely – run. out. of. feta! Can you believe that?! But after just one bite of this insanely easy dish, I could definitely understand why – it’s sooo good! So this is my take on the original baked feta and tomato pasta recipe and trust me loves, this one’s a keeper!
Ingredients for your baked feta & tomato pasta
- Dry pasta: I love using cavatappi pasta for this recipe because it’s such a fun shape! That being said, you can also use your favorite type of short pasta too. (A few of my other favorites are rotini, bowties and penne.)
- Block feta: You can use regular, reduced fat or fat free feta for this recipe. (I would personally reccommend using regular feta though because it has a much stronger flavor.)
- Cherry tomatoes: I LOVE using cherry tomatoes for this pasta because they’re so much more flavorful! (And there’s no additional cutting involved too. 😉 ) When picking tomaotes, look for ones that are bright red and plump for the best flavor.
- Red onion: Adds a little crunch and really ups the flavor of your dish. (You can also use white onion instead too or completely omit if you don’t like onion.)
- Fresh basil: Adds so much freshness and compliments you flavors so well! (I wouldn’t suggest using dried basil in place of fresh becasue fresh has a much stronger flavor.)
- Garlic: Adds some aromatics to your dish.
- Olive oil: Helps the sauce to really stick to your pasta. (Almost any type of oil will work for this!)
- Lemon juice: Helps to brighten up your dish and elevates it’s salty flavors.
- Seasonings: salt, pepper, Italian seasoning & crushed red pepper flakes: Brings out each individual flavor of your dish and adds a little bit of spice too!
How I lightened up this baked feta pasta
The original recipe calls for a 1/2 cup of olive oil and to be honest, that just seemed like way to much to me. So instead I only used 1 Tbsp of oil and added 1 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice too to give it a brighter and more refreshing feel. You can also used reduced fat or fat free feta instead of regular to slim it down even more!
How to make baked feta pasta
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and spray a large baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Next add your tomatoes, red onion, garlic, olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to the dish and stir it all together. Then place your block of feta in the center of the tomatoes and bake for 30-35 minutes.
- While the feta is baking, cook your pasta according the package’s directions. Drain it and set it aside.
- Once the feta is done, remove it from the oven and add your lemon juice, fresh basil and red pepper flakes. Then mash the feta and tomaotes together with a fork to make your sauce.
- Next add your pasta to the baking dish and toss it together until it’s fully coated. Serve immediately with extra basil sprinkled on top!
Other ways to use baked feta
Ok, so maybe pasta isn’t your thing…well don’t to worry loves because I’ve got you covered! The good news is that there’s so many different ways you can prepare this dish that are just as tasty too! Here are a few of my favorites:
- Baked Feta Dip: As soon as the feta comes out of the oven, stir in your basil, lemon juice and red pepper flakes into the tomatoes and serve it immediately with your favorite chips, crackers or crostinis!
- Baked Feta Shrimp: After 20 minutes of cooking, take your feta out of the oven and add some raw shrimp to your tomatoes. Then place the dish back in the oven and cook for 8-10 more minutes or until the shrimp is cooked all the way through. Serve immediately.
- Chicken with Baked Feta Sauce: Season both sides of your chicken with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning and place them in a baking dish. After 10 minutes of cooking your feta, place your chicken in oven alongside the feta and allow it to cook for 20-25 mintues. (Internal temp should be 160 degrees) Once they’re both done, transfer the chicken to your baked feta dish and coat it with your sauce. Serve immediately.
More recipes you might like:
- Pizza Pasta Salad
- Penne Pasta Alla Vodka
- Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage Pasta
- Easy Lemon Basil Pasta Salad
- One Pot Mac And Cheese
[Made one of my recipes? Make sure to tag my social media @kalefornia_kravings – I love seeing what you create!]
Easy Baked Feta Pasta
Fresh, cheesy and absolutely delicious! This easy dish is made by baking a block of feta and cherry tomatoes together with a few other spices until it turns into a rich cheesy pasta sauce! It's so simple and so flavorful you'll never guess this recipe is a lightened up version too!
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 8 oz dry cavatappi pasta (can be replaced with your favorite short pasta)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 8oz. block feta cheese
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup red onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ⅓ cup fresh basil, sliced thin
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- ¼ tsp salt
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Next add your tomatoes, red onion, garlic, olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to the dish and stir it all together. Place your block of feta in the center of the tomatoes and place your dish in the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
- While the feta is baking, cook your pasta according the package's directions. Drain it and set it aside.
- Once the feta is done, remove the dish from the oven and add your lemon juice, fresh basil and red pepper flakes. Then mash the feta and tomatoes together with a fork to make your sauce. Next add your pasta to the baking dish and toss it together until it's fully coated. Serve immediately with extra basil on top.
